Keith Baker and Keith Baker Are Teaching Classes at DMU

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been organizing deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters run fantasy roleplaying games in old manors in Britain and at an American castle venue. These all-inclusive trips are highly favored among long-time dungeon masters who rarely get the moment to join in the game themselves, and they often look for guidance from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improv and crafting riddles to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the organizers began crafting a organized method to address these questions, which led to the founding of the Dungeon Master Academy. The first session is planned for the start of 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“It's possible to view countless online tutorials on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the concept was that nothing compares to a live, hands-on session alongside peers in game mastering, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and your peers likely in comparable situations and aim to enhance their abilities,” noted Jason Carl.

Workshop Options and Cost Levels

Dungeon Masters can choose from options ranging from just under $1,000 to $2.5K, according to the amount of contact they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes one of four courses:

• Foundational Skills: Focuses on the basics of running D&D.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Is dedicated to crafting long-running games.
• Setting Creation: Highlights the crafting of environments.
• Professional Development: Aimed at DMs who want to learn more about the tabletop profession.

Each course includes multiple sessions of training spread over two days.

“The workshops are created so that you leave with tangible results, increased self-assurance, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl said. “It's more than presentations and they exceed pre-recorded material. These classes that you can attend, absorb insights from, and then head back to your table the next week and implement in your regular session.”

Professional Teachers

Most classes are instructed by two professors. Setting design is led by an industry veteran and a renowned campaign designer, together instructing the skill of universe design.

Professional development presents four different teachers, such as an author on gaming puzzles, a podcast co-host, and an early professional game master. The extra instructors is designed to provide specialized information to students with specific goals.

“Some of them want to launch their own real-play series and display their adventures with the world, some of them aim to release and create new material,” Carl stated. “Some just want to ask, How do I get to be a DM at something like a castle event? Which abilities that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Advanced Options

A $1.5K gold tier provides access to a welcome reception, a starter kit, and a half-hour consultation appointment with a teacher. This marks the first Dungeon Master Academy, though the organizers has previously run similar events during breaks between campaigns at their castle events.

“It would be possible to organize an complete event just on consultation sessions for professional dungeon masters,” Carl mentioned. “It's unclear if that’s the optimal application of all participants' schedule – In my opinion the structured learning and the hands-on activities is extremely important – but I believe it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar platinum tier includes an extended personal consultation and the chance to manage an adventure for five players plus an instructor, who will then give comments and instruction.

“The purpose is for the faculty member to evaluate whatever the DM is focused on: I struggle with improvisation or I get blocked in specific fight encounters. May I present a situation for you and receive input on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl said. “Perhaps they want to obtain critique and information on a specific world that they’ve been developing.”

Coming Developments

Responses from the inaugural session will help shape subsequent DMU events. Carl suggested that possible changes could include increasing consultation time, lengthening the event to a longer period, or testing varied class arrangements.

“I expect that we host such events regularly,” Carl expressed. “I would love to see several DMU sessions in a single year, in various locations, and in different countries. The feedback has been overwhelmingly favorable. We’re very happy with the results so far and I feel it would be amazing to be able to conduct this in partnership with big conventions.”